Condensing unit



I Jan., 23, 1945 C, p RUSSELL` 2,367,801

CONDENSING UNIT Filed Oct. 29, 1.942l 2 Sheets-Sheet l \/5' INVENToR 'Cini/@J 7?1155e// f ATTORNEY Jan. 23, 1945. c. P. RUSSELL 2,367,801

coNDENsING UNIT Filed Oct. 29, 1942 2 'Sheets-Sheet 2 Q a a a o Q o o a 25 V@ Q o a o A E .4.- .Il

ff l W/ INVENTOR /E/s 7? Fusie# ATT RNEY Patented Jan. 23, 1945 CONDENSING UNIT charles'. r. Russen, hayan,

Chrysler Corporation,

ration of Delaware Ohio, assignor to Detroit, Mich., a corpo- Application October 29, 1942, Serial No. 463,765

(ci. etz- 1) Claims.

My present invention relates to the construction and arrangement of a condensing unit, the invention comprising means whereby reduction in material is ador-ded, thus reducing the cost of construction and shipping the condensing unit. An object of the present invention is to reduce the cost of materials and labor for furnishing condensing equipment for use in connection with a refrigerating system or an air conditioning system.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide means whereby a sheet metal cabinet customarily provided to surround condensing units for the purpose of excluding foreign ob# jects from the unit and isolating noises, -or to provide means to direct a stream of air about the condensing unit to carry away the heat of compression, is rigidly braced to such an extent as to support the weight of a motor compressor unit through a minimum of light weight bracing angles. The object of the present invention is so to brace the sheet metal sides of the cabinet :that the sides of the cabinet alone are rendered capable of supporting the weight of the motor compressor unit. Stated in another fashion, the object of the present invention is to provide a system ofv braces for a sheet metal cabinet such that the `Weight ofl a heavy motor-compressor unit suspended from the braces within the cabinet is transmitted to the floor of the enclosure densing unit embodying the principle of water cooling of the condenser. The condensing unit comprises a cabinet formed entirely of sheet metal .assembly of the equipment therein and servicing of the equipment. The forward edges of the side walls I0 and H are anged as shown at i3 and lli, respectively, cooperating with the flanged indicated in Fig. 1.

within which the condensing unit is positioned through a large portion of the sheet metal walls whereby the sheet metal walls are rendered capable of supporting the weight and the cabinet may be formed without corner braces or other heavy members as heretofore provided for supporting the weight of the motor-compressor unit.

The foregoing objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a front view of a 'form of condensing unit embodying the present invention; l A

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken substantially along line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial vertical section taken substantially along line 3 3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 isa further partial vertical section taken substantially along line ll--d of Fig. 1.

The invention is shown in a ,condensing unit embodying the principle of air cooling of the condenser, but it is to be appreciated that the same invention may be incorporated in a conportion at i3' of a front top wall l2 to provide an inwardly offset door-receiving space as clearly The anged portions of the Side walls extend substantially from the top to the bottom thereof and provide stiiening columns adjacent the sides of the open front so as further to increase the rigidity of the sheet metal. The cabinet may be formed by bending a single sheet of metal at the vertical corners i5 andl i6 to provide the forwardly extending side walls and the rear wall, and by Welding a bottom wall il to the lower edges of the vertical walls, and a top cover may be welded or otherwise fastened to the upper edges of the vertical walls. 'I'he cabinet may also be formed by other methods. The specific method of forming the cabinet is immaterial to the present invention, it being the result of any suitable method of formation that a rectilinear cabinet having an open front is provided, the cabinet being distinguished by the absence of angle bars heretofore used to brace the corners of the cabinet or to join the edges of the sheet metal portions to each other.

In the illustrated embodiment of the cabinetl a side wall thereof is provided with outwardly' extending :danges 20 surrounding openings to receive air propellers (not shown) driven by motors 2i supported upon brackets 22, the propellers being adapted to force air through the cabinet or to draw air from the cabinet for the purpose of carrying heat away from the equipment positioned therein, and also to carry heat from the air cooled condenser coil 23 positioned across an opening provided in the top wall of the cabinet. The condenser coil 23 is connected in refrigerant now relationshipto a motor-compressor unit 26 suspended within the cabinet and to-a liquid receiver 25 positioned within the cabinet through suitable connecting pipes (not shown) as is well known in the art. The condensing unit is adapted to be connectedA by other suitable connecting pipes (not shown) to an evanorating unit adapted to function as an air `conc ioning or refrigerating surface in any of the -usual manners. The

present invention is suiciently illustrated without illustrating details of lthe refrigerant conducting system.

The motor-compressor unit may be of any form of arrangement. that illustrated being more fully disclosed in the patent to Neeson, No. 2,204,510, issued June 11, 1940, and comprises a very considerable amount of cast iron and other heavy materials. In order to support this heavy unit by the sheet metal walls alone, I have provided means to distribute the weight and brace the weight-supporting portionsv of the sheet metal walls through the medium of a minimum number of light weight angle bars. For this purpose I provide a horizontal channel bar 30 extending horizontally within the top portion of the casing, the channel bar being fastened to the upper portions of the side walls of the condensing unit by bolting its ends to short angle bars 3I and'32 fastened to the side walls. The angle bars may be welded to the side walls as shown with respect to angle bar 3i or bolted thereto as shown with respect to angle bar 32. The brace 30 is preferably slightly forward of the central vertical plane so as to be somewhat closer to the columnar portions I3 and I4 than to the rear wall I2, so that the stresses from beneath thepangles 3i and 32 will be taken up sooner by the columnar portions I3 and I4l than by the edge corners I5 and I6. A short angle bar 33 is fastened horizontally to the upper portion of the rear wall I2 within'a region closerV to the edge I6 than the edge I5, the center of the angle 33 being substantially the same distance from the corner I6 as the center of the angle 32. The angle bar 33 provides a forwardly extending horizontal ledge upon which is supported the rear ends of a pair of bars 34 extending in parallel relationship normal to the rear wall I2 toward the front of the unit. The bars 34 are preferably in the form of Z-bars, as illustrated, and the relative height ofthe angle bar 33 to the brace 30 is such that the lower horizontal legs of the bars 34 may be fastened to the top of the angle bar 33 and the upper horizontal legs of the bars 34 may be fastened to the under side of the brace 30. The lower horizontal legs of the bars 34 face inwardly to provide means whereby a at bar 35 may be supported to bridge the gap between the Abars 34, the at bar being positioned by sliding the same longitudinally from the front toward the rear of the cabinet. 'I'he atbar 35 is secured to the bars 34 by bolts 35'. The bars thus form a rigidly braced cabinet structure capable of supporting considerable weight suspended from the bar 35, such as the motor-compressor unit 24 which is suspended by a single bolt 36' freely rotatable within an opening in the bar 35 and fastened to the top of the motor-compressor unit substantially in alignment with its vertical axis of gravity. The arrangement is preferably such that the suspension member 3'6 is slightly inwardly from the brace 30 and spaced equally from the bars 34 so that the. distance from the suspension member 36 to the center of theangle barrJZris substantially equal to the distance from the suspension member 36 to the center of the angle bar 33- whereby substantially equal stresses are set up in the side wall Il and rear Wall I2.; It will be obviousrthat the side wall I0 will support less compressor weight than the side wall'l I, therefore the side wall l0 may be allowed to support other members such as the motors 2|.

As set forth in connection with the aforementioned patent, it is desirable to permit partial rotation and swinging of the motor compressor unit about its point of suspension during operation, such movements being permitted by the suspension member' 36 being freely rotatable with respect to the bar 35, and being capable of being unsorewed slightly from the motor compressor unit so that a rigid tube 31 surrounding the bolt 36 will not bind the compressor against k movement. However, it is desirable to prevent any movement of the compressor relative to the V cabinet during shipment thereof and for this purpose means are provided for rigidly anchoring the unit to the cabinet walls. Such means comprise a removable bolt 4l) passed vertically through an opening in the rear end of one of the bars 34 and a second removable bolt 4I passed vertically through an opening in the forward end of the other of the bars 34, the bolts being received in threaded openings in bosses 42 and 43, respectively, extending laterally from the top of the motor compressor unit. The arrangement is preferably such that the bolts 40 and 4I are diametrically opposed and the bosses protrude laterally from the unit so as to give the greatest possible resistance to rotation of the unit about the suspension member 36. The bolts are preferably surrounded by rigid tubes 44 and 415, respectively, extending between the lower surfaces of the bars 34 and the upper surfaces of thebosses 42 and 43, the tubes being of such length as to be rigidly clamped between the bars 34 and the motor-compressor unit when the bolts are tightened. When the unit is in use the bolts and the surrounding tubes may be removed so thatthe unit will be capable of rotation about its vertical axis. In order to prevent swinging of the unit about the suspension member 36 as a pivot, the lower end of the unit is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed vertical bosses 50 and 5I adapted to receive 'oolts such as bolts 52 and 53 extending from plates 54 welded to an angle bar 55 fastened to the lower portion of the rear wall beneath the angle bar 33. The

bolts 52 and 53 are surrounded by rigid tubes such as the tube 56 illustrated in Fig. 4, which' are .adapted to be clamped between the plates 64 and the bosses 50 and 5I when the bolts are drawn tight. During use of the condensing unit the bolts 52 and 53 and the surrounding tubes are removed so as to render the -unit capable of swinging from its vertical position.

As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4 I have found it desirable to brace the lower corner 60 between the rear wall I2 and the bottom wall I'II by fastening an angle bar 6I within the corner. The angle bar 6I may be omitted in most instances but if the motor-compressor unit is heavier than usual a rigid structure is thus provided without the necessity of providing heavier sheet metal wallsA and heavier supporting angles at the top of' theunlt'. The angie 6I provides greater protection to the unit since it lies along the edge which usually takes the greatest punishment during shipping of the unit from one point to another, as it is this edge upon which the unit is dropped from a truck to a receiving platform or the like.

Having illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention it should be apparent to those skilled in the art thatv the same permits of modifications in arrangement and detail. All such modifications as come within the scope of the following claims are considered to be part of my invention.

Iclaim: Y Y' 1. A condensing unit comprising a rectilinear sheet metal cabinet having two side walls and a rear wall, the front of said cabinet being open and adapted to position an access door, the vertical forward edges of said side walls being flanged to provide stiiening columns imparting a greater degree of rigidity to the edges .of the open frontcompressor unit being supported by the sheetl metal forming the side and rear walls of the cabinet.

2. A condensing unit comprising a rectilinear sheet metal cabinet having two side walls and a rear wall, the front of said cabinet being open and adapted to position an access door, the vertical forward edges of said side walls being flanged to-provide stiffening columns imparting a greater degree of rigidity to the edges of the open front of the cabinet, a horizontal brace fastened to the upper portions of said sidewalls and extending across the top of the cabinet, an angle bar fastened horizontally of the upper portion of said rear wall and providing a ledge extending forwardly from said rear wall, a pair of bars supported by vsaid brace at their forward'ends and bysaid ledge at their rear ends, a motor-compressor unit and means supported'by said pair of bars for supporting said unit in suspended relation thereto, the entire 4weight of said motorcompressor unit being supported by the sheet metal forming the side and rear walls of the cabinet, said track bars being positioned closer to oneof said side walls than to. the other so that the angle formed between said rear wall nd the closer side wall is rigidly braced by said 3. A condensing unit comprising -a rectilinear sheet metal cabinet having two side walls and a lrear wall, the front of said cabinet being open,

. rigidly to said second angle bar to prevent swing. e 'ing of said motor-compressor unit about said sus'- I 1 said pair of bars and fastened at its ends thereto,

a horizontal brace joining the upper portions of said side walls, a rst angle bar fastened horizontally of the upper portion of said reary wall, a second angle bar fastened horizontally of the lower portionof said rear wall beneath said first angle bar, a pair of barsA suspended from said brace attheir forward ends and supported by andfastened to said rst angle bar at their rear ends, -a supporting member bridging the space means to fasten-said motor-compressor unit rigidly to said pair of bars to prevent rotation thereof during shipment, and removable means to fasten the ,lower end of said motor-compressor unit pension member as a pivot during shipment.

4. A condensing unit comprising a rectilinear sheet metal cabinet having two side walls and a rear wall, the front of said cabinet being open, a horizontal brace joining the upper-v portions of said sidewalls, a iirst angle bariastened horizontally ofthe upper portion of said rear wall,

a second angle bar fastened horizontally of the lower portion of said rear wall beneath said rst angle bar, a pair of bars suspended from "said brace at their forward ends and supported by and fastenedv to said first angle bar at their rear ends, a supporting member bridging the space between a -single suspension member supported centrally of said supporting member and freely rotatable with respect thereto about a vertical axis, a mot tor-compressor unit suspended by said suspension member and being thus rotatable about a vertical axis when in use, removable means to fasten said motor-compressor unit rigidly to said pair of bars to prevent rotation thereof during shipment, and removable meansl to fasten the lower end of said motor-compressor unit rigidly to said second angle bar to prevent swinging of said motor-compressor unit about said suspension memberV as a pivot during shipment, said means to prevent rotation comprising a bolt joining the forward end of one of said pair of bars to the top of said motor-compressor unit and a second bolt joining the rear endof the other-of said pair of bars to said motor-compressor unit and said means to prevent swinging comprising a pair 'of bolts joining the opposite sides of the lower ybar fastened horizontallyofthe upper portion of the rear wall, a pair of track bars extending` between and connected to the brace and angle bar, a supporting member positioned between and supported by the track bars, suspension means supported centrally ofthevsupporting member, and a-motor compressor unit connected to the suspension means, said angle bar being located closer to one side wall than the other, the disi- *tance from the suspension means to the center of the angle bar on the rear wall being substantially equal to the distance-between the suspension ymeans and a point on said one side wall located at the center ofthe end of the horizontal brace Joined thereto. I

` Y enanas P. massant.,

about ,Ia vertical axis when in use, removable 

